Crime & Safety

Convicted Child Molester Sentenced In Paulding

A child reported the Paulding County man molested them for more than a year, prosecutors say.

DALLAS, GA β€” A jury has found a 36-year-old Hiram man guilty of child molestation, the Paulding County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

The five-day jury trial against Chadd Curtis Martin ended Thursday, when he was found guilty of six counts, prosecutors said. Jury deliberation lasted several hours.

Authorities first began investigating Martin on Sept. 15, 2022 when the child - younger than age 16 - reported Martin had been molesting them since March 2021, prosecutors said.

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The victim in the case testified during the trial, prosecutors said.

β€œChild molesters inflict some of the deepest and most lasting harm imaginable," Paulding County District Attorney Robert S. Lane said in a news release. "This conviction and sentence make clear that those who prey on children will face the full weight of justice. I am proud of the victim’s courage in coming forward and grateful for the tireless work of law enforcement."

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Paulding County Superior Court Judge Hon. Dean C. Bucci sentenced Martin to the maximum of 60 years, with the first 40 years to be served in prison and the balance to be served in the custody of the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, prosecutors said.

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